The Road Gets Better From Here [Paperback]

Adrian Scott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 2008

With virtually no experience and absolutely no support, Adrian rides a basic stock motorbike 20,000kms across nine countries in three months to fulfill a lifelong dream. He sets off from the bleak, windswept former gulag gateway city of Magadan in a remote corner of Siberia, but before the day is out he crashes badley, breaking his bike and seriously injuring himself. He is completely alone. He struggles on through swamps, bogs and mud tracks and nearly drowns in the icy rapids along Stalin's infamous Road of Bones. Although it is summer in Siberia, it is freezing and the driving rain is relentless. When the sun does appear, he is attacked by fierce squadrons of giant mosquitoes and, with wild bears roaming, he cannot stop, often riding for days at a time. Sheer physical strength saves his life on numerous occasions. He battles on deep into central Russia, across the vast Steppes of Kazakhstan and on through the scaring Taklimakan Desert in remote western China. He scales the breathtaking Pamirs and rides across the roof of the world before entering the fabled Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Chive. He scurries across oddball Turkmenism, and on across ancient Persia before finally arriving at his destination, exotic Istanbul. At every turn, Adrian is adopted by a vast array of characters, each with stories to tell and who, extraordinarily, expect nothing in return; tough Siberian truck drivers, frontier road workers, border guards desperate villagers, drug-addled soldiers and crazy modern-day traders, each insisting that he join them in their homes to share their lives and most of their provisions. It is these encounters which provide such a rich and compelling subtext to his extraordinary journey.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Adrian is a Partner at a global technology consulting firm and holds a degree in Computer Science and Pure Mathematics from the University of Sydney. After 18 years of consulting to multi-national companies in Australia, Asia and the USA, Adrian now advises senior executives on complex technology projects. Since travelling as an only child with his parents on Soviet cruise ships in the 1970 s, Adrian has developed a deep affinity with the Russian people which is reflected in his writing. He speaks Russian and has an extensive knowledge of Russian history. Adrian is married with two children and lives in Melbourne. --This text refers to the Perfect Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing (May 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602641862
• ISBN-13: 978-1602641860
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good clean fun for the whole family, April 9, 2008

By 

Roger Mellie (BBC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road Gets Better From Here (Perfect Paperback)

For a first book, Adrian Scotts travelogue is remarkably well written. It takes the reader along with him as he travels from the furthest reaches of Siberia to Europe, Via China and Central Asia. In the wake of rapidly growing global interest in independant travel by motorcycle, Adrian sets off for his first long distance interenational bike adventure with just a few vague ideas about how it may go. On the way he discoveres the real people and real hospitality of people living along his path.

Its a fun read for anyone with an interest in independant travel, an excellent read for anyone with an interest in the the former USSR, and a compulsory read for anyonne contemplating a first major motorcycle adventure.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic journey, a great book!!, March 23, 2008

By 

Travel Reader (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road Gets Better From Here (Perfect Paperback)

For anyone who enjoys one or more of off-the-beaten-track travel, motorcycle riding or following a crazy Australian around, this is a must read book. Adrian is a witty and compelling story teller whose descriptions of the remote places he visited and the characters he met very real and intensely readable.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A gutsy motorcycle adventure by a novice motorcyclist, October 6, 2008

By 

Dual Sport (NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road Gets Better From Here (Paperback)

As this adventure story was written by a fellow Aussie, and the bike used was a pre-2008 KLR650 (I have one), I simply had to get this book. It describes quite an epic and gutsy solo adventure, and I'm sure the author would be the first to agree he couldn't have completed the journey without meeting many wonderful and helpful people along the way. It's a great read, although I found that adjectives were overused in the narrative in a way that grated after a while. Don't expect many pictures, and don't expect much motorcycling tech talk at all. It's basically a great travelogue rather than a motorcycling how-to. Basically his bike is a means to an end (independent transport), not a much-loved machine; however it's still a great read if you understand this context when purchasing. Enjoy!